New details have emerged regarding the apprehension of the suspects involved in the murder of Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez. Mendez and Officer Raul Ortiz confronted individuals breaking into a car at the Philadelphia International Airport, leading to a confrontation in which both officers and one suspect were shot. Tragically, Mendez, 50, lost his life, while Ortiz, a 20-year veteran, was wounded in the arm but later released.
Three individuals, 18-year-old Yobranny Martinez Fernandez, 21-year-old Alexander Batista-Polanco, and 21-year-old Hendrick Pena-Fernandez, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Despite a lack of security cameras at the airport parking lot, investigators heavily relied on cell phone records for tracking the suspects. Interviews with the family of the deceased suspect, along with identified phone numbers, led to the trio’s identification.
The pursuit extended to locations near CHOP and South Brunswick, New Jersey, where the suspects’ getaway vehicle was found burned. All three face charges in connection with Officer Mendez’s murder.